GMG Radio
 |
|
| Industry | Media |
|---|---|
|
Key people
|
John Myers (1999-2009), Stuart Taylor |
| Products | Broadcasting |
| Parent |
Guardian Media Group Global Radio |
| Website | www.realandsmooth.co.uk/ |
GMG Radio, and for a short while Real and Smooth Limited, was a company which owned the Real Radio and Smooth Radio networks. As GMG Radio, the company was the radio division of the Guardian Media Group until it was bought in 2012 by Global Radio, however pending regulatory review of the merger the company was renamed Real and Smooth Limited and operated as a separate entity, until May 2014.
GMG Radio was Guardian Media Group’s radio division, which started in early 1999 when former GMG Chief Executive Sir Robert Phillis enlisted the services of John Myers to establish GMG's radio division after seeing Myers on the documentary programme Trouble at the Top. Myers had featured in an episode which followed Myers as he prepared to launch Century 105 in the North West for Border Radio Holdings. John had left the Century stations and, after a brief spell in charge of Radio Investments Ltd, created GMG Radio Holdings Ltd and became its Managing Director.
The Stations first FM licence, was won in April 2000 for the South Wales regional FM licence, which went on air on 3 October 2000, but was unsuccessful in its second application, for the West Midlands regional licence application, won by Saga.
In June 2001, Scot FM was brought from The Wireless Group for £25.5mJohn Myers, said: The problem with Scot FM is that it has changed owners faster than I've changed coats. It was badly launched. They gave an impression that they were going to do Radio 4 type speech and then they went and hired Scottie McClue. For the first time, Scot FM will have an owner that might actually give Scottish Radio Holdings a run for their money.Real Radio Scotland began broadcasting at 8am on Tuesday 8 January 2002 with breakfast presenter Robin Galloway introducing the first song to be played, A Star is Born.
On 6 July 2001, the company won its second licences West/South Yorkshire regional FM licence, which launched on 25 March 2002.
In May 2002, GMG radio made a bid of £41 million to Jazz FM plc at 180p a share. The bid came on the day when the draft Communication Bill was published Jazz FM plc's largest shareholder, Clear Channel had been waiting for a 220p a share bid, but agreed to the 180p a share bid in late May. Herald Investment Management who had a 7.7% stake in the company and Aberforth Partners were not happy with the 180p a share bid. On 6 June, GMG raised its bid to 195p a share to secure the institutional shareholders who were holding out for a better bid. Richard Wheatly announced that he would leave Jazz FM once the takeover was complete. The offer was declared wholly unconditional on 5 July. In December 2002, GMG moved its sales operation from Clear Channel Radio Sales to the Chrysalis Group, inline with the sales operation for other GMG Radio stations.
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Wikipedia